Youth should be educated with teachings of Islam: PM Nawaz

Ulema should promote narrative of peace, real image of Islam

PM address at Jamia Naeemia

Staff Report

LAHORE: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said the young generation should be educated with the teachings of Islam from the pulpits of mosques and seminaries. He also stressed upon Ulema to promote the narrative handed over by their predecessors, depicting the messages of religious freedom, the real image of Islam and the teachings of Holy Quran. He said through such narrative, new generation should be taught that those elements had no relation whatsoever with the religion who carried out massacre in the name of sectarianism.

The prime minister was addressing a seminar, held at Dar-ul-Uloom Jamia Naeemia here. Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique and a large number of Ulema were present on the occasion.

The prime minister said the seminaries had always been the centers of religious education and effective source to dispel misleading propaganda, aimed at creating disharmony among the society. The Prime Minister also lauded the role played by Jamia Naeemia and observed that visiting the seminary had always been a great source of spiritual experience.

He also paid tribute to late Mufti Muhammad Hussain Naeemi and Mufti Sarfraz Naeemi for their services to religion and society. He called upon Ulema to play their effective role in promoting unity among society, besides effectively dispelling the false propaganda against real teachings of Islam.

He said the PML-N government and Ulema would collectively foil all attempts, aimed at creating fissures in the society and with their joint efforts, strengthen peace in the country. He regretted that throughout the world, the real teachings of Islam were distorted but the Ulema and religious leaders had the panacea for such challenges by utilizing their pulpits to spread the true picture of religion.

In these efforts, he said the role of Ulema was crucial. In 2013, when the PML-N was given mandate to run affairs of the government, it was his objective to secure lives of people and bring about lasting peace, he added. The Prime Minister said the government resolved that all the political forces were taken on board, while personnel of army and police tackled the challenge with bravery and sacrifices whereas people manifested unity to face the menace.

“We have fought the greatest war against terrorism in the world,” he said, adding the hands of terrorists were broken and their centers destroyed. Though lone attacks occurred in the country which were facilitated by sympathizers of certain elements, he noted and said the state was looking after them and would bring them to justice. Terrorists had no race and religion, he said and questioned whether the blood of Mufti Naeemi or hundreds of others would go waste.

The Prime Minister, lauding role of late Mufti Sarfraz Naeemi, said such religious leaders had worked for the unity of nation through their untiring efforts and teachings. He said fanning of negative sentiments of sectarianism and distortion of the real message of Jihad led to rise of extremism in the world.

He said the deviated and extremist elements had sowed seeds of discord among the Muslims and carried out inhuman acts of massacre. The Ulema and religious leaders like Shaheed Mufti Sarfraz Naeemi and Mualana Hassan Jan had given edicts against such elements and laid down their lives for the religious duty and great cause of unity, he added. The Prime Minister expressed the hope that their disciples would not budge from the path, chosen by these personalities.

He regretted that besides religious and sectarianism basis, efforts were also being made by deviated elements to sow seeds of discord on the provincial basis. They were trying to avenge for their rejection from public, he added. But the PML-N government, he said, would foil all such conspiracies and play its role to further forge unity among the ranks and files of society as it had done during the creation of Pakistan by uniting Muslims of India.

The Prime Minister said they would thwart negative propaganda of creating provincial prejudices among the Punjabis, Pakhtuns, Sindhi, Mohajir and other federating units as the nation had rejected such attempts in the successful holding of Pakistan Super League Finale. “Through PSL, the nation showed that Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi….all were against terrorism. We are knitted together in bonds of brotherhood,” he added. He resolved the PML-N government, with the support of Ulema, would discard elements of hatred and disunity and urged religious leaders to raise voice against provincial bias as well.

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